Oprah's Super Soul Super Soul Summer: Brother David Steindl-Rast: Happiness Begins With Grattitude
Aug 20, 2025
Join Brother David Steindl-Rast, a Benedictine monk, author, and scholar, as he explores the profound impact of gratitude on happiness and joy. He emphasizes the practice of grateful living as a path to enduring joy, transforming our everyday experiences. Brother David shares personal stories from his upbringing in Nazi-occupied Austria, illustrating how adversity can deepen our gratitude. He also discusses the importance of living in the present, embracing surprises, and fostering connections through love and hope.
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Joy Versus Fleeting Happiness
- Joy is a lasting form of happiness that persists even amid unhappiness.
- Brother David frames grateful living as a permanent way of being, not only a reaction to good events.
Practice Moment-by-Moment Gratitude
- Ask yourself what you are truly grateful for beyond immediate circumstances.
- Use each moment's opportunity to avail yourself of life’s gifts and enjoy simple capacities like breathing and seeing.
Hope Is Openness To Surprise
- Hope differs from our imagined hopes; true hope is openness to surprise.
- Trusting life opens you to unexpected good and underpins faith.
